Redemption
by Idakiller24
Summary: (What if Tak came to Earth instead of Zim?) When a mysterious new girl comes to Dib's skool, he will have to choose between everything he ever wanted, and unexpected feelings. My first DaTr! Rated T for possible language. All rights to Invader Zim belong to Jhonen Vasquez.
1. Chapter 1

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Dib sat quietly on his roof with his satellite and headphones flipping through radio waves trying to find an alien transmission. For an hour now all he could find was static. Dib sighed and took off his headphones to look at the stars.

"Look at it, Gaz. We've only seen what's come to us from up there. Don't you wanna just fly up there and see it all?" Dib asked looking down at his scary sister sitting on the patio with a half eaten hot dog, quietly playing her GameSlave. Gaz looks up from her game and shrugs her shoulders before going back into the house with her hot dog.

 _Some people can be so closed minded._ Dib thought. His life on Earth was depressing. Everyone at skool thought he was crazy for exploring his fascination with the paranormal. His father, world renowned scientist Professor Membrane, was always working and rarely had time for him and his sister; and his mother died a long time ago. Dib was alone, and would give anything to see what laid beyond the stars. He sighed and looked back into the night. Dib felt most at peace when he looked into space. He felt like he could see forever and just get lost in his thoughts. Then he thought he saw a flash of blue for a fleeting moment, like a shooting star. Dib squinted to see it again and stood up on the roof. It flashed again.

 _There it is! But it seemed, closer._

The flash of blue became a dot that got bigger and bigger. Dib's eyes got wide when he realized it was coming right for him. He dove to the far side of the roof and covered his abnormally large head. He heard a loud rumble and a booming crash that shook the house as the foreign object crashed down into his back yard. Dib opened his eyes and turned around, seeing flames climbing from the yard into the air. Cautiously he walked to the edge of the roof to see the wreckage.

 _Was it a meteor? A satellite?_ Dib thought as he leaned over the side to get a better view. The flames started dying and the wreckage became clear. It was a ship! A space ship! A huge grin flew across Dib's face before he dove off the roof and slid down the drain pipe on the side of the house. He hit the ground with a light thud before cautiously walking over to the remains of the space ship. The flames finally died down all the way and sent wisps of smoke around the broken ship which made a deep crater in the yard. Dib got a stick from the ground before poking at it, jumping back in case a certain poke made the whole thing explode. When nothing happened, he threw his stick to the side before climbing up on the ship to look inside the windshield. It was too dark to see anything other than wires and a broken control panel. Dib jumped off the ship and circled it, studying it. It was a dark magenta color with a round bubble-like exterior and a black marking on the side that looked like a triangle with a circle in the middle and two other little triangles on the top, making it look like some kind of bug face.

 _Nothing like_ I've _ever seen before._ Dib thought, studying the mark. Then he stopped, his eyes growing to the size of saucers. _Nothing like…_

"AN _ALIEN_ SPACE SHIP!" Dib shouted at the top of his lungs, holding his head in disbelief and stepping back.

"Be quiet!" Gaz shouted from inside. Dib whipped around.

 _Gaz!_

"GAZ! COME SEE THIS!" He yelled into the house and turned back to look at the ship, making sure it was still there. He couldn't believe it. For years he told everyone about aliens and how they had to exist but nobody believed him!

 _And now here it is! Actual proof that all the things I've been saying are actually right! Finally, a way to prove that I'm, that I…_

"I HAVE TO GET A CAMERA!" He shouted, mid-thought. He ran inside and scrambled through the door. Only stopping when he saw his sister on the couch playing her GameSlave.

"Gaz! Get outside! There's- and… and…" He couldn't form words and could only point sporadically at the backdoor.

"You're voice is making me sick." Gaz interrupted, not even looking up to glare at her brother.

"GAH!" Dib threw his arms up and ran for the stairs, crawling up them as fast as he possibly could before crashing through the door to his room.

"Camera! Where is it?" He stammered, looking around his room wildly. Then, he saw it, on his desk with all his other tech stuff. He dove for it, only succeeding to push it off the desk and send it falling to the floor. Dib crouched under his desk to grab it and shot back up to knock his head against it. He rubbed his head for a second before flying out the door and tumbling down the stairs. The sound of Dib grunting in pain as he smacked his head on the steps made Gaz chuckle and look up at her crazed brother for half a second before he zipped out the back door.

Dib was looking down at his camera, careful to prep every little detail before taking a single picture, even remembering to take off the lense cap. He looked up through the camera, ready to take a picture. He froze, his heart stopped and his breathing quickened. Slowly, he took the camera away from his face, horrified at what he saw. The ship, the debris, the embers, even the massive crater.

Gone.

The camera dropped from Dib's hand as he stared at the exact spot where the ship was. Everything was as if nothing even happened. Even a squirrel bounced over into the yard, as peaceful as ever, and stopped to stare at him. Dib's eye twitched.

"Okay, Dib. Fine. What do I have to see?" Gaz asked from behind him, walking over to his side, only to find her brother having a staring contest with a squirrel. Gaz looked at the squirrel for a second before turning to go back into the house. She sighed before closing the door behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Redemption**_

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

"You have to believe me! It was real! And it was in my backyard!" Dib shouted over his laughing classmates. A few took a break from laughing to shout at him.

"So where is it now?"

"Where's your proof?

"You're crazy!"

"I am NOT CRAZY!" Dib yelled, frustrated, only to add to the laughter. "Okay! Look!" Dib yelled, turning to the chalkboard and tried and to draw the strange symbol on the side of the ship.

"See? It looked like that!" He turned to point at the triangle thing. Nobody was paying attention to him anymore, Ms. Bitters slithered into the classroom and glared darkly at the little Membrane boy.

"Dib!" She hissed. "Take your seat. Class is starting."

"Yes ma'am." He hung his head, took his seat, and stared out the window.

 _I know it was real. It just had to be! How could I imagine something like that? Unless I really am-_

"Class, to celebrate overcrowding in skool, a new student will be joining the class." She stepped back behind her desk as the door opened. A black and red blur flew into the room like a shadow, pausing at Ms. Bitter's desk. It was a black cat with deep, glaring, scarlet eyes. The cat scanned the room before zipping to sit outside the window beside Dib, who wasn't paying attention. It glared at him before disappearing in a flash again beside the door.

The class all turned to see a girl in purple clothes and blue hair walk in, everyone except Dib, who was lost in his thoughts, scowling out the window.

"Hi! My names Tak…" She pauses, looking around. "I'm new here."

"Hello Tak." The whole class, including Dib said in monotone. As he says this, Dib turns to look at the new girl, his eyes widened. She had short blue hair that jutted out in wisps around her pale white face. She wore dark eyeliner and a purple, striped, turtleneck dress that was longer in the back, with pink and black long sleeves, black socks and combat boots. In the middle of her dress, lined with a circle, was a triangle below another circle that looked like a lowercased 'i'. She had a little black beauty mark just below her right, violet, eye and a look on her face that clearly read 'don't touch me'. She walked over in front of Ms. Bitters's desk and looked around the room, stopping at Dib, who was still watching her. She raised an eyebrow at him before Ms. Bitters spoke.

"Sit in the open seat by the door." She snapped, causing Tak to break her gaze with Dib. She flashed to the empty seat as fast as the cat who curled up under her desk. Everyone stared for another few seconds before returning to their work, everyone but Dib.

 _There's something about her that seems… off._ Dib thought as she gazed distantly at the clock. _I can't pin it…_

Tak looked over at Dib who retreated into his chair.

"Todays lesson will be about the universe. And how it will eventually IMPLODE IN ON ITSELF!"

"Ms. Bitters!" Zita raised her hand.

"Yes, Zita?" Ms. Bitters growled.

"The new girl brought a cat! Is she allowed to do that?" Zita leaned over Tak's shoulder and stared at the black cat under her desk, who glared back. Ms. Bitters scowled at the cat and raised an eyebrow questioningly. Tak glanced away from Dib to look at Ms. Bitters, a gleam of purple light flashed from one of her eyes to the other. Ms. Bitters lowered her eyebrow.

"Yes." She said simply. Dib's eyes widened. Ms. Bitters agreed for the new girl to break the no pets rule! How did she do that? Why?

"As I was saying. The universe is just doomed. Doomed. Doomed. Doooooooooooomed." A cockroach crawls across her face as she continues to say 'doomed' over and over again. A few students looked back at Tak, who minds her own business studying the room.

"Hey, Tak." Zita asked from over her shoulder. "Where you from?"

"Not here." Tak cut shortly.

"Where then?" Sara pressed.

"Far away." Tak glared over her shoulder at Sara.

"It's just a question _freak_." Sara teased. Tak's left eye twitched as she turned farther around in her chair.

"It's not nice," Her voice cut in anger, making Sara lean back in her seat, glaring. "To insult people." Tak suddenly regained her composure and spoke calmly.

"You should apologize and… eat your eraser!" Tak's violet eyes flashed again. Sara's eyes widen as she straightened in her seat.

"Yes, Tak. I'm sorry for insulting you." Sara droned vacantly, pulling out a large square eraser, as big as she is, and taking a large bite out of it. Tak sits back in her seat as Sara devoures her stale eraser bite by bite. Everyone ignores Tak and listens to Ms. Bitters as she continues to say 'doomed' over and over again. Dib raises an eyebrow at Tak again, trying not to be as obvious staring at her, and leans back listening to Ms. Bitters's intriguing lecture.

 _Clearly she had the power to terrify others. Like Gaz. But Ms. Bitters?_ Dib thought to himself. _There's something up with her._

"Doomed. Doomed. Doomed. Go home now!" Ms. Bitters dismissed the class a second before the bell rang. Kids cheered, and fled the room through the door and the open windows. Tak got up from her chair to calmly walk with the crowd out the door, her cat following closely behind. Dib packed his things and followed her as well. He was far enough behind to where she wouldn't notice him, and close enough to where he wouldn't lose her. She glanced behind her once but he dove behind Torque Smacky, a large enough obstacle that she wouldn't spot him. She looked back and continued walking down the hallway.

"Hey! He's touching me!" Torque complained, pushing Dib off of him and into the lockers.

"Sorry!" Dib apologized before going after her again. Dib ran out the doors of the skool and looked around. She was nowhere to be seen. All the kids ran out of the skool in a happy panic, leaving the skool empty and the yard barren. Suddenly he was hit from behind by a flash of black and red. He fell to the ground and flipped over to see Tak scowling down at him, with her black cat sitting beside him, flicking it's tail angrily.

"Why are you following me?" She demanded, crossing her arms.

"I'm not following you!" Dib lied, getting up. Tak's expression didn't change. "I'm just… I didn't… um." He stammered. Tak began walking away, shaking her head. Dib turned and followed beside her.

"So… what brings you here?"

"You're doing it again." Tak ignored his question, still walking along the sidewalk.

"What?"

"You're following me again."

"Oh well… yea. I'm going this way anyway and I just thought we could walk together." Tak gave him a side glare and purple flashed in her eyes like before. Then she raised an eyebrow at him.

"What was that?" Dib asked.

"What was what?" She turned away again.

"That thing you do in your eyes. You did that to Sara before."

"Sar-a?" Tak asked. "Which one is Sara?"

"The one you made eat an eraser."

Tak smirked. "What about her?"

"You made her _eat_ an _eraser_!" Dib pressed, annoyed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Tak denied, quickly turning a corner, Dib stopped for a second then ran back to his spot beside her.

"Well… What about your cat?" Dib questioned.

"What about her?" The cat followed close at her heels, holding a steady glare on Dib.

"What's its name?" Tak looked at Dib, annoyed as if she had explained something to him a hundred times, then looked away.

"MiMi." She sighed. Dib turned to look at the little black cat and tried smiling at it.

"Hi, MiMi." He waved awkwardly. The cat's glare darkened and he turned back at Tak who had stepped up on a short brick wall. Dib jumped up onto it behind her, holding his arms out for balance. She walked along normally as if nothing had changed.

"So. Tak." He pressed as she tried ignoring him. "Where are you from?"

"Far away." Tak repeated the same non-descriptive answer as in class. Dib was running out of things to talk about. She jumped up on a higher, skinnier wall. Dib followed suit, losing his balance every few steps as she and the cat walked with perfect balance.

"I'm Dib by the way!" He yelled after her as she gained distance. "Dib Membrane!"

"Tak." She said jumping up on a black gate wall, balancing effortlessly on the black piping. Dib stopped at the edge of the safety of his wall before following her carefully on the pipe, sliding his feet sideways one at a time.

"Just- Tak?" He asked, slowly making his way toward her, waving his arms in the air trying not to fall into the thick green bush behind him. Tak turned around to look at him and smirked as he inched over to her, teetering from one side to the other. "No last name?"

"It's just Tak." She stood still, smirking at his imbalance. The cat sat down in front of her, curling its tail around its legs.

"So…" Dib said, trying to to make conversation.

"Is there something you need?" Tak asked. Dib's foot slipped off the pipe which made him fall backwards, he caught the wall and held himself up with his armpits, knocking his chin against the pipe.

"What makes you say that?" He asked, rubbing his chin.

"Is there a reason for you following me? Or can I go home now?" She crossed her arms and leaned on one leg, while still maintaining her balance.

"Well, I mean... No, I don't need anything."

"Great." She said, turning to leave. Her cat glared one final time at Dib before following Tak. Dib tried pulling himself up on the top of the gate, but wasn't strong enough, he was stuck.

"Okay… Well. Bye!" He waved as she jumped off the wall and back down to the sidewalk, disappearing behind a corner. Dib groaned and tried pulling himself up again before a vicious grey dog attacked his big head, dragging him down into the thick brush; biting and clawing viciously. Dib eventually got away by kicking the dog in the nose, escaping through a gap in the fence, and running home.


	3. Chapter 3

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

The next day at skool, Tak ignored him most of the day, doing some writing in her notebook, and paying little attention to Ms. Bitters's depressing lectures. Dib couldn't help but glance her way every once in awhile, getting caught a few times, only to receive a glare in response. After class during recess Dib found Tak sitting up on the wall in the skool yard, writing again. Dib took no time in going over to say hi.

"Hey, Tak."

"Dib." She greeted simply.

"How's it going?" He asked, jumping up on the wall beside her.

"Well."

"Cool. Mind if I sit with you?"

"No. But you already are, so I suppose it doesn't matter." She said, not looking away from her writing. Dib sat in his spot, clicking his heels and playing with his thumbs.

"So… How was your first day here?"

"Good. Is there something you need?" She asked, giving him a side glance.

"No, I just thought you looked lonely over here. Besides, I-"

"Hey look everyone!" Jessica, the snotty blonde girl a grade above Dib pointed and laughed. "The new girl's sitting with that crazy kid!" Everyone began pointing and laughing, making Dib shrink into his shoulders. Tak glared up at Jessica who smirked snobbishly.

"What a _freak_!" She laughed again, others quickly followed. Tak's eye twitched as she moved to get up.

"Hey!" Dib yelled in protest, jumping down. " _I_ came to sit by _her._ Leave her alone." He crossed his arms and glared at his mocking peers, then Torque Smacky came out from the crowd to lean on the wall beside Tak.

"You don't want to hang out with this loser, trust me."

"Is there a specific reason for that?" Tak asked, still up on the wall, glaring down at Torque.

"Pffft. Duh. He's _crazy_." He mocked looking down at Dib was was about a foot shorter than him. Tak raised an eyebrow and looked at Dib.

"Are you crazy?" She asked. Dib glared up at her.

"No." He snapped, Tak looked at Torque again.

"He doesn't seem crazy."

"Well he _is_." He insisted. "You should have heard him going on about this space ship he saw last night."

"I swear it was there! It just DISAPPEARED!" Dib yelled at Torque.

"You saw a space ship?" Tak asked Dib, intrigued.

"YES! It was big and round and purple and it had an _alien_ symbol on it!" Torque and his other peers started laughing at him again, Tak jumped down from her wall.

"Where was it?" She asked, leaning on one leg.

"It landed right in my backyard!"

"You don't actually believe him do you?" Torque asked, crossing his arms.

"Show me where it landed." Tak said walking off. Leaving the two confused.

"Wait! What about skool?" Dib yelled, quickly trailing her through the playground.

"What about it?"

"We can't just _ditch_ skool! We'll get in trouble." Dib worried. Tak turned around and glared at him.

"I thought you said you saw a space ship."

"I did but-"

"Then show me where it was." She turned around and walked off again. Dib quickly followed.

"It's not there anymore though."

"That's fine." Tak dismissed, climbing the wall. She glared down at a hesitant Dib.

"Are you coming?" She asked, annoyed. Dib looked back at the skool and started climbing the wall.

"Fine. But we can't get caught."

 **" _Where do you think you're going?_ "** He heard the viper spit. Dib turned to see Ms. Bitters's growling at him as the whole world went black with her shadow.

"Nothing." He whimpered. Then she grabbed for Dib's shirt collar, pulling him off the wall and holding him up in the air like a cat by the scruff. Tak's eyes flashed purple but Ms. Bitter's grabbed her anyway and quickly dragged both kids to the skool.

"Let go of me!" Tak squirmed, Ms. Bitters growled in response. Dib looked up to see the approaching metal door labeled **Detention** in gruesome black letters that swung open at Ms. Bitters's approach. She tossed them both into the dark room and locked the door. Tak immediately began pounding on the door that wouldn't budge, then turned her glare to Dib who started making himself comfortable.

"What is this?" She demanded stomping over to him.

"Detention." He sighed.

"What?" She asked, confused.

"Solitary confinement." He joked, which only made Tak angrier.

"For what?" She yelled. Dib returned her glare from the floor.

"What do you mean 'for what'? We tried to ditch skool! What did you wanna to see the ship for anyway? I told you. It's gone now."

"I know that!" She snapped. "And it's none of your business. I just need to _okay_?"

"Fine. Whatever. I'll show you when we get out of here. _If_ we do." Dib leaned against the wall and looked around at the familiar room. It was a dark, dusty, concrete room with a few broken chairs and a flickering light, with no windows and only one locked door.

"How long is she going to keep us here?"

"Dunno. Usually she throws me in here for a few hours. But we tried to ditch so it might be a lot longer."

"How long?" She urged.

"I don't know." He repeated, annoyed. "We're just gonna have to wait it out."

Tak began pacing looking around for an exit other than the locked door, when she couldn't find one she started pounding and kicking at the door again.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He said laying on the floor with his hands behind his big head. "She'll just lengthen the time."

"Well how else am I going to get out of here?" She snapped, trying to break the door with her shoulder.

"You don't. You wait, you go, you don't get thrown in again. That's how it works here."

"Well I don't want to wait. So what's option two?" Tak crossed her arms. Dib laughed.

"Are you not listening? Just relax. The door will open when our time is up."

"How do you know?" She asked coming over to lean on the wall above him.

'I've been here a lot." He said simply.

"For what?" She raised an eyebrow. Dib raised his arms and wiggled them around.

" _Cause I'm the crazy kid that's got his head in the clouds_." He imitated in a dumb voice. He dropped one arm and shook his finger with the other.

"'Dib! You didn't see a bigfoot in your garage!' 'Dib! Aliens didn't kidnap the counselor!' 'Dib! Stop talking about monsters!' 'Dib! Ghosts don't exist!' 'Dib stop being crazy!'" He dropped his hand and sighed. "And then I get thrown in here."

"For being crazy?" Tak smirked. Dib shot a look at her.

"I'm _not_ crazy!" He snapped, Tak raised her hands in surrender.

"Fine. I couldn't care less." She slumped down against the wall and crossed her legs, watching the door as if it'll open any second. Empty silence filled the room like a thick smoke for about an hour. Dib twirled his thumbs and paced around the room while Tak sat motionless staring at the door with her arms crossed.

"So…" Dib started, leaning on a wall across the room. Tak glanced over in his direction. "Is this the first time you've gotten in trouble?" She smirked and looked away, then her eyebrows furrowed.

"Does she monitor this room somehow?" She asked.

"I dunno. She doesn't bother me afterwards, even when I sneak in with something to do like a magazine, I feel like she would take that if she could see what I'm doing. I think she just throws people in here and leaves."

"Good to know." She looked back at the door, leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

"Why?"

"It's useable information. If I can find a way to get the door open she wouldn't care because she can't see me." She said with her eyes closed. Dib nodded his head and looked at the flickering light, watching the moths gather.

"So, you didn't answer my question. Have you gotten in trouble?"

"Why do you need to know?" Tak slit one eye open at Dib.

"I'm just trying to make a conversation. It's better than silence." Dib crossed his arms and leaned his head back on the cold wall. Tak opened her eyes, looked at the floor, and sighed.

"I would get in trouble once in awhile. My… _Superiors_ wouldn't do much about it though. They were minor offenses."

"Like what?" Dib asked, intrigued.

"I once ditched a janitor job." She chuckled. Dib laughed with her.

"Why'd you do that?" He smiled but Tak frowned and looked away.

"It's complicated, but the short of it is I wanted other things."

"Sorry to pry." He leaned his arm on his leg.

"It's fine." She brushed off quickly. Dib brushed his scythe hair back and tapped his fingers on the concrete trying to think of something to say.

"I once got into trouble with the police for harassing this really hairy kid."

"What for?" She snickered.

"I thought he was a sasquatch baby." Dib shrunk in his shoulders, embarrassed. Tak cocked her head.

"A what?"

"You know, Bigfoot. He really liked eating grubs so... you know, I thought he was a bigfoot. Turns out he just does that, and he's just that hairy normally."

"Oh. Yea, right." Tak agreed, nodding and turning back to the door. It was silent for another moment or two, then he heard something at the door and looked up.

 _Could it be opening after just an hour?_ He thought getting up. The door slowly swung open, revealing a black cat with deep red eyes.

"Good work, MiMi." Tak said getting up. The cat flicked it's tail in response.

"Wait. How did-"

"Are you coming?" Tak said stopping at the door and looking back expectantly.

"But what if she finds out?"

"You said she doesn't watch this place. She'll never know. Come on." Dib stood by the wall for a second before following Tak out the door, careful to avoid Ms. Bitters's room, and left the skool.


	4. Chapter 4

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

"So this is where it was. I was on my roof then I saw a light that looked like a satellite or something, Then it crashed right there in my lawn. I went to get a camera, but by the time I got back. It was gone." Dib said, kicking the dirt. "Even the hole it made just vanished."

"And you didn't notice anything strange after that?" Tak asked looking out at his lawn.

"Nope. Just a dumb squirrel. I went back inside when I found it was gone."

"Interesting." She said simply, then she walked back into the house with Dib.

"So... Do you believe me?" He asked, knowing the answer.

"Well… All I know is that it's not here now." She said standing in the living room.

"Yea, I thought so." He sat in his couch and looked out the window; it was dark and dreary outside. "You think I'm crazy too, huh?" He asked looking back at Tak who leaned against the wall. She frowned in thought, then opened her mouth to say something.

 _ **BOOM!**_

Thunder crashed outside somewhere close by, shaking the house slightly. Tak jumped out of her skin, suddenly looking worried. Dib looked outside and saw as rain began to pour in buckets.

"Looks like rain." Dib joked, then thunder crashed again, this time farther away, but still loud. He looked back at Tak who had backed into a corner, breathing heavily.

"What was _that_?" She demanded.

"It's just thunder." He said, raising an eyebrow. Tak straightened slowly, pretending to be unconcerned.

"Yes. Thunder. Of course." She lied, then thunder crashed again, much closer, and she flinched back into her corner.

"Are you okay?" He asked standing up and walking toward her.

"Yes. I'm fine." She raised her arms away from him defensively.

"Are you afraid of the rain?" He asked, concerned.

"The... rain?" She raised an eyebrow at Dib who pointed at the window. She looked over his shoulder and walked slowly over to the window and looked outside. Her eyes widened as she leaned closer to the window, watching the rain pour down.

"You've never seen the rain?" He asked in disbelief, sitting beside her on the couch. Tak looked at him, thinking. Then back at the rainstorm.

"We don't get much rain where I'm from." She stopped flinching when the thunder crashed. Dib looked out the window, then back at Tak.

"You wanna get a closer look?" Tak looked at him, wide eyed.

"Is it safe?" She asked, cocking her head.

"Yea sure. Come on." Dib hopped off his couch, ran over to his closet, and dug until he found his sister's black umbrella, then turned to Tak and waved her over. She walked over to him as he opened the door, never taking her eyes off the umbrella.

"There's only one so we'll have to share." Dib said ripping off the strap and opening the umbrella with a quick pop. To which, Tak jumped back as if it was a threat.

"It's okay," He laughed as she straightened, examining the now open umbrella. Dib walked off into the rain, stopping at the door. Tak stepped closer to the door carefully. "Come on." Dib said, holding out his hand to Tak who stared at it questioningly, then at the umbrella, then Dib again. She took his hand and walked out the door, under the umbrella.

"Follow me." He said walking down the rainy street, with Tak staying close and protected. "I know just the place."

As they walked down the sidewalk, Tak took in her surrounds in stoic examinations and Dib watched her with fascination. Every time thunder rolled from somewhere in town, Tak whipped her head around to the source of the crash, and watched rain fall all around her, flinching when it would seem too close. She stopped by a puddle and watched it grow in the street. Then she stooped down to look into it moving her head or her arm over it, playing with her reflection.

 _Has she really_ never _seen rain?_ He thought smiling down at her. Tak noticed Dib smiling at her in the puddle and turned to glare at him. Quickly he looked away, blushing. Tak looked back into the puddle and stood to walk with him again.

"Where are we going?" She asked, trying not to look at him, and crossing her arms.

"You'll see, I go there sometimes to watch the stars."

"How do I know I can trust you?" She asked, looking at him with a hint of distrust. Dib stopped and raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you have to ask? Have I given you a reason for you not to trust me?" Tak raised an eyebrow at him, and looked away.

"Fine. But if this is a trap? I will hurt you." She pointed a finger at him threateningly.

"Why would I want to trap you?" Dib asked sincerely. Tak stared at him for a moment before putting her hand out for him to continue walking. He lead quietly as she followed with her arms crossed. Finally they arrived at the park, Dib turned to Tak with a smile on his face.

"Okay, close your eyes." He said excited. Tak's glare darkened. "Come on, you can trust me."

"Why do I have to close my eyes?" She questioned.

"It's a surprise." He shifted the umbrella to the other hand and put an arm around her. She flinched back, glaring suspiciously. "Come on, I'll lead you along." He said smiling. Tak stared at him again then relaxed and closed her eyes.

"I won't let you hit anything." He said, slowly leading her forward. He lead her through the park careful not to let her hit anything or fall. Soon he got to the end of the park where a little hill stood with a lonely maple tree guarding the normally quiet hill. The grass was slippery, and wrong footing made Tak slip causing her to grab onto Dib's arm, while still keeping her eyes closed.

"Sorry, we're almost there." He walked under the protection of the tree branches. He closed the umbrella and let go of Tak's arm. "Stay here, I'll be right back." Tak nodded and let go of his arm while Dib went to lean the umbrella against the tree. He turned and held Tak's shoulders, turning her around to face the park where they came from.

"Okay. Open your eyes." Dib said letting go of her. Slowly, Tak opened her eyes and looked out into the park. Her eyes widened in awe. The whole sky was covered in a swirling black and grey storm that drizzled and drenched the whole park, illuminated briefly with white sparks of lightning, lighting up the sky in a deep purple flash. Tak walked slowly over to the very edge of the canopy of branches and leaves, to get as close as possible to the sight. Dib smiled as she panned left to right, taking it all in. He came up next to her and she glanced up at him.

"It's pretty isn't it?" He smiled. Tak looked back out and nodded her head. Dib looked down at her hand and bit his lip. He wiggled his fingers, bounced in place, and looked around awkwardly while Tak wasn't paying attention.

 _Okay. I can do this. Just reach out. And take it._ He thought nervously, looking back down at her empty hand. _Simple_.

He breathed quietly and bent down a little, slowly going to hold Tak's hand. He just barely touched her finger when she looked at him again and held her hand to her chest. Dib flinched his hand up to pretend he was messing with his hair and turned to walk away, hiding his blush.

"So yea," He started. "I come here a lot to watch the stars. Well… When it's clear obviously… not, you know... _raining_." He sat down at the base of the tree and pretended to watch the storm, glancing at Tak every few seconds, trying very hard to look normal. Tak looked out at the storm again before sitting beside him, at a fair distance.

"Why do you watch the stars?" She asked. Dib played with his thumbs, trying to steady his voice.

"I dunno. I just like looking into space, y'know?" He leaned back against the tree. "It's just so _huge_."

"Yes. It is." She looked up at the storm clouds again.

"I would love to get out there someday. Just fly out and never come back. See everything there is to see out there." He sighed, smiling at his personal dream.

"Why don't you?" Dib smirked and huffed under his breath.

"Trust me, if I could I would." Then he laughed.

"What is it?" Tak asked, looking at him.

"When uh… When I was a kid I stole one on my dad's inventions." He sat up, telling his story with fondness. "It was this hover-helmet thing that would lift you into the sky. But I wanted to use it soooo bad cause I thought I could go to space." Tak smirked at his story.

"Yea, far-fetched I know. But I was maybe… 6. So I thought I could go to space." He laughed again shaking his head.

"But I got so high above the ground I could see my whole neighborhood and even farther than that. Just. Forever."

"Did you get to space?" Tak joked.

"No. But pretty close," He laughed again. "My dad caught me using it and made me come down. Otherwise I probably would have made it!" He grinned at Tak who smirked and looked back out into the storm.

"I mean. Can you even imagine all the different kinds of aliens out there?" He asked, looking at the sky. Tak looked back at him suddenly.

"What makes you say that?" She asked. Dib snapped up and looked at her, playing with his thumbs again.

"Well, nobody at skool believes me but… I like to think there are aliens in space." He smirked, expecting Tak to laugh at him.

"It's just. You know. With how big the universe is," He looked back up the sky. "It's pretty impossible that we're the only life forms out there. There's gotta be at least _one_ you know?" He looked back at Tak who watched him closely.

"Go ahead and laugh, I'm used to it." He nodded in acceptance, but she didn't laugh or make fun of him.

"I get what you're saying." She nodded. Dib snapped up, looking at her in disbelief.

"You… You believe me?" He asked.

"Well, yes. I do believe there _could_ be something out there." She leaned against the tree and crossed her arms in thought.

"Wow." He doubted. "No one's ever believed me before." He looked at the ground then back at Tak.

"What do you think they look like?" He asked, Tak looked at him again, then back at the storm.

"I don't know." She dismissed simply. Dib sat back on the tree quietly watching with her. Then he looked at his watch.

"We should probably head home." He sat up and stretched his arms, yawning. "It's getting pretty late." He took the umbrella, opened it, and held his hand out to Tak who used it to get up and stretch as well.

"Do you want me to take you home?" He asked as they started walking down the hill together. Tak looked at him and sighed.

"Yes. That would be fine." Dib smiled inwardly and followed at her side as she told him where to go down each street until they reached a dead end road in a big circle lot. He could almost immediately tell which house was hers. It was a little purple house in the center of two larger buildings. It was so nice for the block, it didn't seem like it belonged. He walked her all the way to her front door.

"Well, Dib. Thank you for… Showing that to me, it was very nice." She tensed.

"Oh yea. Sure thing, anytime. Maybe we can do this… again? Next time it rains?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly and smiling. Tak smirked then turned around, about to close the door. Dib turned to leave with his hand in his pocket.

"Dib?" Tak called behind him, he turned around, hopefully.

"Yea?"

"I… I'd like that." She smiled awkwardly and closed the door. Dib stood on her lawn for a half second before jumping and running around waving his fists in the air.

"Yes! Yes yes yes yes! YES!" He said excitedly as he ran and jumped all the way home. He closed his umbrella and strutted into his house where Gaz sat on the couch playing her GameSlave. She opened an eye as Dib strode past her to the stairs with a big happy smile on his face.

"What's with you?" She asked, not really caring.

"Oh nothing." Dib sang, walking up the stairs to his room to crash.


	5. Chapter 5

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

The next day in the skool yard Dib found Tak in her usual spot on the wall. He breathed deeply before stepping out from behind the stairs.

 _Okay Dib. You can do this. She's just a girl._ He thought as he walked over. _Just go up to her and say it. You can do this._

Tak looked up as he approached and he froze. She looked back down and Dib dove behind the stairs.

Again.

"I can't do this." He panicked putting his heart shaped T-bone next to him and running his fingers through his hair.

"Come on Dib. Quit being a coward. She's just a girl!" He said looking over the wall at her, as usual she was writing in her notebook.

"Okay." He said bouncing up and down, preparing himself. "You can do this. You can do this. You can do this." He cleared his throat.

"Hey Tak! How you doing? No… Too dorky…" He tried again. "Hey baby, I had fun last night. Ugh _no_." He shook his big head and rubbed his eyes under his glasses.

"Okay…" He coughed again. "Tak, I really like you and…" He sighed and shook his head again.

"Come on Dib." He said, talking to himself. "Stop being a coward!" He shot up from behind the stairs with his meat slab and started walking over to her again.

 _No going back now. Just keep walking. You can do this._

She looked back up at him again but Dib kept walking, jumping up to his spot beside her.

"Hello, Dib." She greeted, looking back down at her writing.

"Hey, Tak." He squeaked. Then he started coughing viciously to get his voice back. He cleared his throat. "How's it going?"

"I'm doing well, as usual."

"Great! I mean… Yep. That's great." Dib clicked his heels, avoiding her questioning gaze.

"Are you alright?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep! I'm great too! Just… Peachy." He forced a grin and she looked back down.

 _Peachy? Smooth._ He thought, kicking himself. _Just say something! Anything!_

"So… Tak…" He started, taking his meat slab. She looked back up at him.

"Yes?"

"Listen, Tak umm… Well... I just wanted to tell you that, um… I think you're, cool? And… I well… I like you." Dib said spinning his heart shaped T-bone in his hands and glancing up at her nervously. "A lot, actually… and well... this is for you." He held it out for Tak. Slowly she took it and looked at it. Dib continued.

"No one's ever really listened to me before, and… I feel like I can talk to you, normally. But I… well. I like you, Tak." He half-smiled at her, embarrassed.

 _Please. Please. Please. Please._ He thought, playing with his hands awkwardly.

"Dib…" Tak started. "This is… very kind of you." She set the meat slab beside her and played with her fingers.

"I … I think I like you too…" She avoided his eyes. Dib sat up straight, surprised. "But." Dib sunk back in his seat.

"It's complicated and... hard to explain but... I… _we_ wouldn't work."

"Well, why not? It seems simple enough. Would you be willing to, try?" Dib asked, leaning to catch her eye.

"It's not that easy. You wouldn't understand." She turned away from him, leaning back on the wall.

"What is it? You can tell me." Dib skooted closer and put his hand on hers.

"No, I can't." She lifted her hand away and put it on her lap.

"Listen, Tak." He took her hand from her lap again and she looked at him sullenly. "Whatever it is, I don't care. I really like you Tak and, well… I wanna be with you." He smiled lightly and squeezed her hand. She frowned and looked at their hands, then back up Dib.

"Dib… I-"

"Can you just think about it?" He asked. She closed her mouth and turned away. Dib bit his lip as she stared off into space. Then she nodded and Dib took a quick sigh of relief.

"Okay. Great." He smiled and he hopped of the wall and backed up with his arms behind his back. "I'll um… I'll leave you alone then. To uh… Think." He waved and tripped on his own feet, falling back and regaining his balance. He laughed awkwardly and Tak gave a half-smile.

"I'll see you later." Then he turned and walked away with a huge grin on his face.

 _You did it Dib!_ He thought happily.

 _What are you doing Tak?_ She thought sadly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

Dib rolled over in his bed, half awake, and looked at his clock through slit eyes.

"5am?" He groaned, sitting up.

 _Why am I awake?_ He thought bitterly, rubbing his eyes. He looked out the window beside his bed. _The sun isn't even up yet._ Then he saw a dark green blob shift, he squinted his eyes and saw a brighter shade of green move near it. He turned to his bed side table to grab his glasses, put them on and looked out the window again. He blinked and rubbed the sleep out of his blurry eyes. Then he saw it, it was small and green with big purple eyes. It stepped out of the bushes, looking around carefully, followed by a little metal robot with bright red eyes.

An alien.

Dib pressed against the window, wide eyed, watching the alien step quietly around his yard. It reached behind it to grab a small shiny object and pressed it like a remote. The air in his backyard shifted like heat waves in an oven and disintegrated. The ship, the debris, and the crater all appeared exactly where it was when it crashed.

 _It was invisible!_ He thought wildly, scrambling out of his bed and tripping over blankets. He rapidly dug through his desk and grabbed a pair of handcuffs. Then he dove down the stairs and ripped his back door open.

"STOP RIGHT THERE ALIEN SCUM!" He yelled pointing the open handcuffs at the alien who whipped around to look at him wide eyed. At closer inspection, it had long, black, curling antennae, a metal pipe that came out of its forehead and around the back of its head. There was a little black dot just below its right, violet, bug-like eye.

"Don't move an inch! You're mine!" He said stepping closer. The alien took a step back and looked down at the little robot with glaring red eyes. The robot jumped into the ship through a hole in the windshield and quickly began working inside.

"Hey! Get outta there!" Dib said running for the ship. The alien jumped in front of him, pointing some kind of ray gun at him and glaring harshly.

"Get out of my way!" He pointed the cuffs at it again. The alien didn't move as the robot kept working quickly inside.

"Do you even know what I'm saying?" He demanded, the alien's glare darkened.

"Well then? Say something!" He stepped forward and the alien pointed the gun further at him, daring him to take another step.

"I don't know what you're doing here, but that ship is mine now!" Then, the ship suddenly whirled to life and rose in the air with a groan. The alien sheathed its gun and jumped up on the front of the ship as it lifted higher in the air.

"Hey!" Dib yelled, running after it. He jumped up and grabbed onto the alien's foot before it could get into the ship. The alien tried to keep a hard grip on the ship, but Dib's extra weight made it slip and fall. The two tumbled onto the ground while the ship flew off without them. Dib got up with a shot, readying his cuffs. The alien flipped over and started backing up along the ground as Dib advanced.

"You're not getting away." He challenged. "These are alien sleep cuffs, guaranteed to render all alien lifeforms unconscious. Just give up now!" Dib took another step, preparing to tackle it. Just as he stepped forward the alien kicked its leg up, knocking the cuffs out of Dib's hands, then did a spin kick, knocking him on his butt. Dib tried to get up but the alien stood over him, pointing its gun at him again. Dib froze, wide eyed.

 _Is this it?_ He thought as the alien glared down at him, then its eyes softened with hesitation and the gun lowered. Dib saw this as an opportunity and moved to get up, but the alien's glare returned.

 **Bang.**

Dib closed his eyes and flinched back, holding his chest. The pain was numbingly agonizing. He opened his eyes, the alien was running in the other direction toward the park. He looked down at his hand, but didn't see any blood. Dib looked down at his chest, nothing. He felt his whole body for a wound. Nothing. He looked to the side where a burnt patch of grass smoked lightly, pieces of his sleep cuffs lay scattered.

 _I'm alive?_ He looked back at the alien which disappeared into the bushes. Dib sprung up from the ground and went after it.

 _I can't let it get away! It's my only proof that I'm not crazy!_ He thought, sprinting after it. He dove through the bushes and spotted it running up the hill with a maple tree. Dib took off running again.

"Wait!" He called, the alien stopped at the base of the tree and looked back at him. He stopped at the foot of the hill, worried it'd try to shoot him again. They stared at each other for a second, the alien's cold glare thawed into a heavy gaze before the ship flew down from the sky. The alien broke their stare and jumped up into the ship which flew off behind the tree and circled around to speed straight for Dib who dove out of the way. He flipped over on the ground to watch it fly off into the night.


	7. Chapter 7

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

"You have to believe me!" Dib shouted angrily at his mocking classmates. "It had a horrible green head! And big, beady, purple, bug-eyes, and.. and long, sharp claws and antennae!"

"Just sit down!"

"Shut up!"

"You're crazy!"

"I'M NOT CRAZY!" He threw his chalk down after drawing a crude sketch of what the alien looked like. Everyone was laughing or yelling at him to shut up, he looked over at Tak who sat in her seat, glaring at him with her arms crossed.

"You believe me don't you, Tak?" He said kneeling beside her desk. She didn't say anything, only turned away from him. "Tak?" He leaned, trying to catch her eye.

"Dib! Sit down!" Ms. Bitters hissed above him.

"Yes, ma'am." He said, not taking his eyes off Tak when he walked over to his seat. Throughout class he watched her but she never looked in his way, she just sat in her seat quietly with her arms crossed.

 _Is she mad at me?_ He thought to himself. The bell rang and everyone filed out of the classroom. Tak shot out of her seat and was the first out the door, Dib quickly followed her.

"Tak!" He called, chasing after her. "Wait!" He finally caught her as she was going out the skool doors.

"Hey, You okay.?" He asked, running up beside her.

"I'm fine." She snapped, walking faster.

"Are you sure?" He followed close, changing his speed.

"Yes." She snapped again. Dib stopped for a second, confused. And ran back after her.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked, behind her. She whipped around, glaring at him.

"No _Dib_. Why would I be mad at you?" She said angrily and stomped away again.

"What did I do?" He ran after her, confused. "Did I say something?"

"Leave it alone, Dib." She urged, still walking, Dib ran up in front of her and blocked her way.

"Well then tell me why you're mad so I can fix it."

"You can't fix it, Dib. It's done." She pushed through him, clearly still mad. Dib walked after her again, not giving up. He reached out and took one of her arms.

"Tak, please, just tell me what's wrong." He begged. She whipped around and yanked her arm back.

"I thought I could trust you Dib!" She yelled furiously. "But, _clearly_ , I was wrong."

"What? Trust me? Of course you can! What did I do wrong?" He asked, confused. Tak's glare subsided and she looked away.

"Never mind. I'm… Just let it go." She turned to walk away again.

"Tak. What's going on?" He pressed, trying to step in front of her again.

"Please, Dib. Just leave me alone." She stepped around him and ran off. Dib watched as she disappeared behind a corner.

* * *

 _I gotta talk to her. I gotta find out what I did to make her snap like that._ Dib thought as he walked down her street with his hands in his pockets. He strode up to her house and knocked on her door.

"Tak? Are you home?" He knocked on the door again, but no one answered.

 _Maybe she's still mad at me…_ He thought looking in her window, he didn't see anyone there. _Is she even home?_ He looked around and down at the door again. He tried the doorknob, it was unlocked.

 _I could wait for her inside…_ He thought, biting his lip. _Maybe just for a little while…_ He opened the door slowly and looked inside, it was as peaceful and normal as the outside. A small, open living room that lead straight into the kitchen with a similar purple color scheme.

Dib walked in, looking around and sat on her couch. O _kay… This is fine right? I'll just wait until she gets home and I'll try talking to her again._ He played with his thumbs, taking in the room. He looked to the side to see MiMi walking into the room, silent as a shadow.

"Hey, MiMi." He greeted nervously waving. As soon as the little black cat saw him it puffed up huge and hissed aggressively. Dib got up and backed away as the angry cat stalked him.

"Woh. Woh. MiMi it's okay! It's me, Dib!" He stammered, still backing away. MiMi hissed and growled viciously and ran to attack Dib. He turned, opened a door behind him and ran through, slamming it shut, keeping MiMi out.

"Okay… That's fine.. I'll wait in here." He breathed as MiMi slammed and beat into the door. Dib stepped back and looked around, it seemed to be a garage of some sort with weird looking tools.

BANG.

"Owwwww." Dib grimaced, rubbing his big head in pain. He turned around to see what he had backed into and dropped his jaw in bewilderment.

 _What… How…_ He backed up into the door again.

The alien's ship.

"MiMi? What's wrong?" He heard Tak on the other side of the door. MiMi stopped pounding on the door and Tak opened it. Dib whipped around to stare at her, dazed.

"Dib?" She exclaimed, startled.

'What's _this_ doing here?" He demanded.

"Dib. I can explain." She stammered quickly, holding up her hands. "It's not what it looks like."

"Not what it looks like?" He pressed, getting angry and pointing wildly at the ship. "There is an ALIEN SHIP in your GARAGE!"

"I know. I- I can explain. I'll explain everything, just… please calm down."

"Fine. I'm calm." He dropped his arms against his sides.

"Just remember. I… I care about you. And you deserve the truth." She looked down and breathed deeply. "The ship is mine."

Dib's stomach dropped.

"I made it myself actually." She laughed, playing with her fingers. "At that janitor job that I ditched. Remember?" She smiled up at him but dropped it quickly.

"I was going to land but I got his by a satellite, my handiwork is a little shaky with proximity warnings." She quipped, walking over to the ship and avoiding Dib's questioning eyes.

"This is actually one part of two ships, one was an escape pod, which I used to get here safely. And the other," She reached up and patted the broken ship. "Acts as more of a shield, but is capable of flying on it own."

 _I'm not hearing this._ Dib panicked quietly.

"It is fitted with a cloaking device that, when damaged, is programmed to activate. Kind of like a getaway system."

"Tak…" He whispered. "What are you saying?"

"Dib… I… I have something to tell you." Tak hung her head solemnly. "This… This goes against everything I was ever taught as… as a soldier." Tak turned around, not facing Dib, still hanging her head.

"A soldier? Tak… What's going on?" Quickly, she began typing into her watch, then her whole frame frazzled. Dib stepped back. Her pale skin faded away like a hologram. Her whole body changed. Dib's eyes widened as her skin became green and her blue hair was replaced with sharply curling antennae. A small metal pipe jutted out in the side of her head, and her clothes were all purple. Dib took another step back, not believing his eyes.

"I'm _so_ sorry." She said, slowly turning around to face Dib. His heart dropped to the floor and shattered.

She looked exactly like the alien from last night.

 _She_ was _the alien from last night._

"You… what… what are you?" Dib demanded.

"I… I am Irken Invader Tak of the Irken empire." Tak stood tall putting a fist over her heart, or what Dib thought was her heart.

"Invader?" Dib asked. "What do you mean?"

"I was sent to this planet to locate weaknesses and faults in security. Make it… _vulnerable_ for my people to attack and take over." Tak's large, violet, eyes filled with remorse and shame.

"You… You're not human." He muttered, broken.

"But I'm still Tak." She stepped towards him, reaching out with a gloved, clawed hand.

"Which one?!" He shouted stepping away from her. "The _alien_ _invader_? Or the human imposter?"

"I'm _Tak_!" She begged. "I'm not that Irken anymore. I don't want to be an invader-"

"How can you expect me to believe you?! After all this time you LIED to me! You betrayed me! You only care about taking over my home!"

"I've changed, Dib!"

"NO! You- You're an ALIEN!" He shouted angrily. Tak retreated, looking hurt.

"Does that matter to you?" Tak tried to reach out to Dib again. "I still-"

"Don't touch me!" Dib pushed her back, tears welling in his eyes. "I… I don't ever want to see you again!" Dib turned to run out the garage door and through the front door.

"Dib wait!" Tak ran out to catch him, leaving her house.

Dib's eyes were so full of tears he couldn't see where he was going and ran right into his father.

"Good work son!" Professor Membrane praised, grabbing Dib's shoulders and patting his back. Dib wiped his eyes and looked around, standing behind his father were men in suits and FBI soldiers filing out of vans and helicopters. "You've found an extra-terrestrial!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

"There it is!" A few men shouted as they ran for the house.

"Hey! Let go of me!" Tak yelled behind Dib. He turned around to see soldiers in heavy armor were using dog catcher sticks to loop Tak's hands together and try to stuff her into a bag, while three others were using cattle prods to corner a little robot with bright red, glaring eyes. She struggled in the sack for a minute before long, sharp, metal spikes shot of of the bag, ripping it open and setting her free. The soldiers shouted in protest as she stood up tall on metal legs. The three soldiers with the cattle prods quickly attacked the little robot they had backed into a corner, electrocuting and killing it. The red in it's eyes died and it fell over with a slump.

"MIMI!" Tak wailed, backing away from more soldiers on her metal stilts. She turned and attempted to run before they shot nets at her, entangling her metal legs and causing her to fall down. They quickly grabbed the nets and began dragging her away toward a van.

"Let me go!" She roared, struggling in the nets.

"It knows our language!" One soldier yelled, a few others laughed in response. Tak got an arm out of the nets and reached out to Dib.

"Dib! Help me!" She screamed, her big violet eyes full of pleading. Professor Membrane turned away and began walking with Dib toward a white limousine. Dib, who never took his eyes off Tak, watched as the soldiers dragging her away and threw her into the back of a van. Then they closed the doors and drove away.

"This is a major leap in the field of science! I should have listened to you when you were ranting about your little alien stories, my boy." Professor Membrane patted Dib's head and tousled his scythe hair, messing it up. Dib looked up at his beaming father and followed with him.

"What's gonna happen to her?" Dib asked.

"Is it a her? I couldn't tell. Never-the-less! It will be taken to my labs immediately for experimentation!"

"But… how. How did you even find me?" He asked, finally finding his voice.

"Your video-watch my boy! I check on you kids once in awhile when I have a millisecond to myself." He chuckled. "When I saw that alien I rounded the troops immediately and tracked your location. It was simple."

"You spy on us?"

"Not spy, my boy. Visit quietly." He laughed joyfully. "But that doesn't matter now, what matters is this serious breakthrough in science!" He enthused, getting into the back of the limo.

"Are you coming?" He beckoned, moving over one seat.

"Me?" Dib asked, still in shock.

"Yes of course, son. The world needs to know about your discovery!"

Dib stood there, motionless. This was all moving so fast. He could barely process what was happening, all he could really tell was that his father was _happy_ with something he had done, and a dull pain where his heart used to be.

"Yea… sure." He droned, getting into the limo with his father. Who reached over him to close the door.

* * *

Dib followed his father blindly through the busy labs as he rambled about how an amazing breakthrough it was to have discovered alien life on Earth, and how amazing a job he had done in tracking it down. Once in awhile he would stop his endless praise to speak with fellow scientists.

"-and I want samples of _everything_. You hear me, Johnson?"

"Yes, sir!" He saluted before zipping off. The whole lab was abuzz with the news, always stopping their chatter to clap or smile at Dib. Who would half-heartedly wave or smile.

"We will speak with the press after the surg-"

 _I care about you._

Dib shook his head and tried to pay attention to his father.

"-erything will all be prepared by the time we get there." He boasted.

"Get where?" Dib asked, dazed. His father laughed.

"The surgery, my boy, haven't you been listening? The experiment on the extra-terrestrial." He slapped his back, making Dib lose his balance and fall over his feet.

"Only the top paying new crews will be there, as well as our local station of course. Everyone in the world is going to see it, son. You'll be famous!"

 _Famous._ Dib echoed. _Proof…_

 _I care about you._

He shook his head again, trying to rid her voice from his memories.

 _I'm going to her surgery, the experiment. She's probably dead. Gone forever. It's done._

 _I care about you..._

 _Stop it. She never cared about you. She used you to find her ship. She came to destroy Earth, she's an alien. This is what she deserves._

 _I care about you…_

 _Son…_

Son.

"Son!" His father yelled, snapping Dib out of his thoughts.

"What?" He snapped his attention back to his father.

"We're here."

"Oh… Okay. Dib said staring up at a pair of metal double doors. Professor Membrane bent down on one knee and held Dib's shoulder.

"Before we go in there, I just want to say that I was wrong about you son, and … Well I'm proud of you, Dib."

Dib's eyes got wide as he looked at his father.

 _He's proud of me?_ A smile played at the corners of Dib's mouth. Professor Membrane coughed into his sleeve.

"Yes, Well… I suppose it's time to… *cough* go then." He got up and straightened his lab coat awkwardly and put two hands on the doors.

"You ready, son?" He asked looking down at him. Dib took a deep shaky breath, trying to ready himself for whatever was behind these doors. Dib nodded and Professor Membrane opened the doors. Dib was immediately blinded by flashing lights of cameras as they took several pictures of him and his father. He blinked and looked around, there were doctors and scientists clapping and praising him and hovering news cameras capturing his every move.

But that's not what caught his eye.

In the very center of the room, on an autopsy table, was Tak bound and screaming.


	9. Chapter 9

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 _She's alive?_ Dib thought, stunned, as cameras flashed around him.

Her hands and feet were cuffed to the metal table and her mechanical legs were chained to the floor. On one side of her was a table full of big glass jars full of clear liquid and a large assortment of sharp knives and saws laid out evenly. Bright spotlights shone down on her from the ceiling. She still had her backpack on but they had stripped her shirt and a doctor was drawing a black dotted line down the middle of her chest to her abdomen as two nurses tried to keep her from moving too much while a few scientists took notes and chatted among themselves. Tak was tossing her head side to side, struggling in her restrains and yelling curses at everyone in the room. One camera was fixed on her every movement and projected the image on two tv screens in the corners of the room. Dib's gut twisted into a guilty knot, he felt sick with remorse.

"This is it my boy! The moment you've been waiting for!" Professor Membrane boasted, waving at the cameras and pulling his son closer. One doctor came up behind Dib and put him in a blue surgery coat while another came up to him with gloves.

"We finally get to see an alien vivisection! Isn't this exciting?" Dib looked up at his father, horrified.

"Vivisection? You mean she's going to be awake for this?"

"Of course! We can't risk medicating the creature, we need it alive to see how it's organs function! Yes, I suppose it seems cruel, but it's necessary for _science_!" Professor Membrane beamed down at his son. When hearing his voice, Tak whipped her head around to look at Dib, her violet eyes full of tears.

"DIB! PLEASE!" She screamed, pleading.

"That's enough out of you!" One doctor cut, putting a muzzle on Tak as she screamed and struggled. The doctor drawing on her chest then took a syringe and began to draw blood, Tak's yells in protest were muffled by her muzzle as he drew about a cup of her green blood, emptied it into a beaker, and gave to to another doctor for further testing. One doctor came up to Dib and Professor Membrane.

"Alright, sir. Subject I-24 has been detained, skin, saliva, and blood samples have been drawn, as well as a portion of the antennae. All vitals seem normal. It doesn't seem to have any sort of allergic reaction to the latex or metal that will be used in surgery so everything is good to go!" He said excitedly, giving the thumbs up.

"Excellent! Now the _real_ fun can begin, eh my boy?" He said moving to the autopsy table. Dib looked down at Tak on the table as tears fell from her clenched eyes, one doctor placed a beaker to her cheek to catch the falling tears.

"Scalpel, Johnsen!" Professor Membrane asked, holding out his hand.

"Yes, sir!"

Dib tensed and turned away from Tak, unable to look as he was sure it was about to begin.

"Here you are, my boy, You get the honor of the first cut!" Professor Membrane handed the scalpel to Dib.

"M-Me?" He asked, wide eyed.

"Yes my boy, you! After all, you were the one to discover it! The honor is all yours."

"Thanks… Dad..." Dib stared at the sharp, shiny, tool as his stomach did flips.

"Hurry along, son!" Professor Membrane pushed Dib toward the autopsy table. Tak's entire body was tense and shaking, her breathing was quick, and her eyes and fists were squeezed shut. She was still crying.

 _No._ It _is still crying._ Dib forced himself to think. _She's an alien._

Slowly he moved the scalpel over the dotted line, sweating. A nurse quickly dabbed his forehead with a towel and he looked at her, she smiled and gave a thumbs up. Dib looked all around him, _everyone_ was _smiling_. As if he weren't about to dissect a _living_ creature! Even if she was an alien. All the cameras were fixed on him, broadcasting this all over the world. Everyone could see this. Everyone in town, his neighbors, his peers, everyone who ever thought he was crazy, even people he never met before. The whole world was watching him be right about aliens. Nobody would ever call him crazy ever again. Even his _father_ was proud of him for the first time since he pursued the paranormal.

 _So why do I feel so empty?_ Dib thought, looking back at Tak who was still shaking with fear. Her antennae were curled tight and also shaking, Her jaw was clenched tight under her muzzle and her muffled voice quivered with every rapid breath. He gently put the scalpel on the top on the dotted line, Tak whimpered under the muzzle and tensed harder. Quickly he removed it.

 _I did this..._

"Go on, son! The whole world is waiting!"

"I…" He lowered the scalpel again but stopped. "I can't." Tak opened an eye up to look at Dib, he backed away and dropped his arm.

"I can't do it." The room was quiet for a second before Professor Membrane started awkwardly chuckling and moving toward Dib.

"I'm sure they're just your nerves my boy. Here, give it to me, I'll do it." He reached for the scalpel in Dib's hand, quickly Dib shot his hand back.

"No!" He said backing from his father, he looked at Tak again who stared at him, her breathing was slowing. "I'm…"

"Give it here, son." Professor Membrane walked over, reaching for the scalpel again. Dib ran to stand in front of Tak, opening his arms, shielding her.

"I won't let you!" He shouted angrily. His father waved a finger at him like a disobedient child.

"Now, son. I'm warning you!" He opened his hand for the scalpel again. "Give it to me."

"No! I won't let you hurt her!" Dib pointed the scalpel at his father who stared at him for a minute, then shook his head.

"My poor insane son…" Then he turned to his fellow doctors. "Take him away."

Then everyone slowly began moving in on him, ready to grab him.

"No! I'm not crazy!" He backed into the table, pointing at everyone who got close. "Get away!"

Tak yelled at him under the muzzle, quickly he looked back and she pointed down with one of her cuffed hands. There was a foot pedal next to her chained mechanical legs. Dib looked at the approaching doctors and back at Tak. Then he slammed his foot on the pedal and her legs were released. They sprung off the floor and stuck inside her cuffs, and yanked upward, breaking them and setting her free.

"It's out!" A few people yelled in terror, backing away. Tak ripped off her muzzle and threw it hard at the doctor that put it on, hitting him square in the face and knocking him down. She stood up tall on her spider legs, with a deadly fire in her eyes aimed at the cowering scientists, including Professor Membrane. Her metal backpack opened up further revealing a laser that blasted a hole through the door. The doctors and scientists dove out of the way in time for the blast, and Tak scooped Dib in her arms and fled out the hole.

"Where am I going?" She demanded while flying through hallways and past astonished scientists.

"I don't know, just… That way!" Dib pointed and Tak hung a quick left.

"Now that way!" Tak veered right only to be stopped by a blockade of soldiers with guns. She turned on a heel and flew in the opposite direction, dodging bullets that ricocheted off the walls. A holographic pink sphere quickly surrounded the two, and bullets bounced off like rubber.

"There!" Dib pointed straight down the end of a forked hallway at an 'exit left sign'. But when the turn came, Tak bolted right.

"Wait! What are you doing? The exit's that way!" Dib looked over her shoulder at the shrinking exit door that soldiers had now begun to surround.

"I know! Trust me!" She said dodging more terrified scientists. Her legs shot out in front of her to quickly stop as they came to another set of double doors, Tak burst through without pause, and set Dib to the side. It was a similar experimentation room, only with more advanced machines, wires, and few scientists that snapped their attention from a little robot, to the furious alien now pointing a gun at them.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" She screamed as they dove into separate corners and cowered in fear. Tak ran to MiMi, ripped off the wires connecting her to several different machines, and turned back to Dib with MiMi cradled in her arms.

"Hide somewhere." She commanded quickly and went for the door.

"What? No way! I'm coming with you!"

"No, it's too dangerous, don't think I didn't notice those guards at the door."

"Don't think I'm letting you face them alone!" He countered, blocking the door.

"Stay behind Dib. That's an order!" She said, moving Dib aside with one of her legs. Dib quickly grabbed ahold of it and pulled her back, standing just behind her.

"No Tak. Take me with you."

"Dib, please. I would never forgive myself if-"

 _ **BANG**_

Dib fell to the floor.


	10. Chapter 10

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

Dib's eyes fluttered open and closed, seeing brief glimpses of a deathly scene. Bright flashes of gunfire flashed in the room, metal legs shot out in all directions, howls of pain and terror, and blood. Lots of blood.

"Di-...-ib! -IB!" He heard Tak yell from far away, she was so far he only heard bits of what she was saying. He felt his body move. "-ay with me Dib. We're getting out of he-." She begged, sounding desperate. Dib fell in and out of consciousness, taking in different scenes as he opened his eyes.

First he was in Tak's arms, he saw tears running down her face as the ceiling of different hallways sped around her silhouette, he was holding MiMi in his arms as well and made a small effort to hold on tight to the little dead eyed robot.

Black.

He saw several soldiers chasing after him and Tak, shooting their guns in vain as the bullets bounced off their pink bubble shield. Tak turned a corner and Dib saw a glance of a sign that read 'hanger'.

Black.

They were in a small metal room with sliding doors, he felt the room raising up. His black trench coat and blue shirt were laying on the floor beside him, both were heavily stained with blood, and Dib was laying on his belly.

"Stay strong Dib. This is gonna hurt." She said holding his weak arms and legs down with her metal legs. Suddenly all of Dib's senses exploded with pain. He thrashed and wailed, but Tak's legs kept him pinned to the ground. There was an intense, digging fire grinding in his back just to the side of his ribs. Every little movement he made only made the pain more intense and he screamed with every spasm of agony.

"I know. I know. It's almost out. Hang in there." She urged, holding his body down with a free hand so she could keep him steady. The fire pinched down in his ribs and he wailed again, then he felt Tak's hand move and a pressure came off his back. The fire slowly died and the pain subsided, his body went back to being weak and limp.

"Okay. It's out. You're going to be okay. You hear me?" Tak grilled, balling up his shirt and pressing it on his back, then ripping his coat apart and tying it around him, keeping the shirt on his back. He heard a quick ding, and the sliding doors opened. Tak picked him and MiMi up and flew out the doors turning down every hallway with the sign 'hanger this way'.

"We're close, it's gonna be okay." She said with more tears in her eyes. She bent down every hallway until they got to a pair of large doors that read 'hanger'. The door was locked tight with a handprint key, which Tak couldn't use. She tried pushing the door, then wedging her legs in the middle and pulling it apart, only getting angrier when it didn't open.

"Come on, come on! OPEN!" She yelled, trying to beat down the door with her shoulder. She stepped back and shot the door with her backpack lasers, which blasted the door open in a quick zap. She bolted through the door, quickly spotting her ship among other experimenters. She fired off a warning shot and the scientists scattered, making a safe path to her ship. At her presence, the ship's windshield quickly opened, allowing her to enter. She set MiMi down in the back and an unconscious Dib across her lap, she hastily began typing commands into the ship's control panel. It came to life as soldiers began filing into the hole in the door and firing their guns at the ship. The ship rose off the ground and shielded them from the bullets. She typed in more controls and drove the ship up, firing into the roof with another laser, and flying out the hole.


	11. Chapter 11

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

"-ake up. Please wake up." Someone whispered beside him. He felt the life getting squeezed out of his hand and a dull pain in his back. His eyes slit open, he was in a bright purple and red room, laying in a crudely made bed. To his left was a futuristic monitor with his vitals on it, as well as a depiction of his organ system, and random markings he didn't understand, and a window of the night sky. And to his right was Tak with his hand in hers. Her antennae shot up and her eyes widened when he looked at her.

"Wh- what ha-?" He asked, trying to sit up. He immediately regret it and slumped back down, holding his throbbing head in pain.

"Don't get up," Tak said too late.

"What happened?" He groaned, still holding his head.

"You were shot while we we're escaping. You lost a lot of blood." Tak shook her head. "I- I trained medically but… I've never dealt with… _human_ biology and I… I didn't know what to do." She held her head in her hands, brushing her antennae back.

 _Antennae… I'm gonna have to get used to that…_

"But… I got the bullet out and sealed the wound. It seems to have worked." She lifted her head to look back at Dib.

"Where are we?" He asked looking out the window.

"Your moon. I set up a small base so I could fix you."

Dib's eyes widened.

 _The moon?_

Dib tore his blankets off, unplugged himself from the monitors and shot out of bed, ignoring the pain throbbing in his head. He ran to the window and pressed against the glass. He saw the glowing, grey craters of the moon, the black depths of space, and the Earth, spinning slowly like a green, white, and blue marble.

Dib fell over.

"Dib!" Tak shot off her chair to Dib's side and picked him up.

"The… I'm in… I'm in space." Dib stammered, not believing himself.

"Yes." Tak laughed, taking him back to his bed. "Yes. You're in space." Dib sat on the bed, clearly still weak, from blood loss or shock, he wasn't sure. Tak knelt on the floor under him, holding his hands. Dib looked out the window from his bed, still not believing his eyes. He was in space. He was on the _moon_.

"Thank you." Tak mumbled, he looked down at her, her antennae hung low on her head and she had a distant, sullen look in her violet eyes. He frowned. She looked so different, but had the same little black dot below her left eye. One of her antennae was shorter than the other, and lost some of it's curl.

"They… cut me and… took pieces of me… and if you didn't step in…" Her eyes began to water and she rested her forehead on his knees. "Thank you."

Dib looked down at her, he couldn't see her face but she shook with quiet sobs.

 _You're an ALIEN!_

 _Does that matter to you?_

Dib took a heavy breath, and took one his hands from her. When he first met her she was so cold and rough, without emotion. But the trauma of the labs had broken her down drastically. He bit his lip and slowly rested his hand on her head, brushing her antennae back in a comforting stroke. She tensed when he touched her, but didn't move. He kept petting her, hoping her wasn't hurting her.

"Don't give me all the credit, I'm the one who got shot. You saved me too." He said with a half-smile, she turned her head to the left, Dib kept petting her head as she leaned on his knees. She had stopped crying, but still looked distant. "I would be dead if you didn't get that bullet out."

A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. "You humans are so _fragile_." She laughed. Dib smiled at her, and she looked up at him from on his knees, smiling back. They stared at each other for a moment, Tak closed her eyes, allowing Dib to continue petting her head. Her antennae were thick, soft, segmented stalks, covered in very fine short hairs. Whenever he went over them she tensed, and relaxed when he let go. She breathed deeply and shivered. Dib smiled again, but it quickly disappeared when an important question formed.

"What happens now?" He took his hand away and Tak opened her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"What's the plan? Are going to come back to Earth?" Tak looked up at Dib, and back down at the floor. She took her head off his lap and straightened her antennae.

"What happens now is you will be in my care until you are well enough to return home. I have failed my mission. My leaders will mostly likely send me back to Dirt."

"Back where?" Dib raised an eyebrow.

" _Dirt_." She hissed. "It's the planet I was sent to when I was assigned as a janitorial drone when I failed my test as an elite soldier."

"Uh huh…" Dib nodded, trying to keep up. "Wait… You're leaving?"

She sighed and looked away. "Yes."

"But… What about-"

"I have to report back to my leaders, Dib. They wouldn't take so kindly to you, they don't even take kindly to me. Irk, I'll be _lucky_ to go back to Dirt. It's… It's for the best." She nodded, closing her eyes.

"So… after all that. You're just going to leave?" Dib asked, trying to catch her eye.

"It's not safe on Earth for me anymore. And Earth is where you are safest. This is how it has to be." Tak stood up and walked to the window.

"But… Tak."

"I'm sorry Dib." She leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes.

Dib slumped back in the bed and looked at his hands. Tak was leaving. After all they've been through. After he had fallen for her. She was leaving. He looked up at her. Her eyes were still closed but a tear ran down her cheek.

"Do you like it on Dirt?" Dib asked quietly. Tak shook her head no, still leaning against the window.

"Then why are you going back?" Tak opened her eyes and scowled out the window.

"I have to remain loyal to the Empire. I have wronged my Tallest and must return to face my punishment."

"Why?" Dib pressed. "If you hate it so much, and you don't want to be an invader, what do you have to go back to?"

"You don't understand Dib." She turned around to look at Dib, leaned on the wall and crossed her arms. "Even if I did leave and never come back. Renegades are tracked and eliminated." She turned around and pointed to her metal backpack. "From the first moments of life, smeets have the entire history of the empire downloaded into their PAKs. They don't want that kind of information in the hands of the enemy."

"So what if you just destroyed it? Leave no trace so they can't track you."

"I can't survive without my PAK for more than ten minutes."

"There's gotta be some kind of tracking device that we can remove. There's gotta be _something_."

"Don't underestimate the empire Dib." She glared softly at him. "They're strong and they'll do anything to stay that way. Even track and kill one little Irken if it means their possible downfall. There's nothing we can do. They'll find me on Earth, then they'll destroy it."

"So we'll run." Dib pleaded, getting up from his bed and stood in front of her. She turned her head, not looking at him. "We'll travel the universe. There's nothing there for me anyway. Take me with you."

"And run scared for the rest of our lives? Is that the kind of life you want?"

"Don't think of it as running, think of it as exploring. There's probably billions of planets we could go to. We'll hide out on a different planet every few years, we'll blend in with a different alias every time." Tak shook her head.

"They'll find me. They'll _always_ find me. And when they do, they'll destroy the planet we were hiding in, deactivate me and send you to the same fate I escaped from in those labs. It's hopeless Dib. I'm not doing that to you." She stepped past Dib.

"So what am I supposed to do? Just live life like I never met you?" Tak stopped. "Everyone I've ever met thinks I'm _insane_! Everyone _hates_ me! I have _nobody_ there! Not only that, but I broke an alien out of my father's labs. They'll probably find me anyway and throw me into an insane asylum to _rot_ in a padded room." Dib's eyes started to well. "I won't go back there Tak. I won't." She didn't turn around.

"The best I can do is leave you somewhere else on the Earth. I can't take you with me Dib."

"Please Tak. Don't do this." Dib walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She moved away from it, her antennae dropped, and her hands clenched into fists. "Please."

"I have to check on MiMi." She said, straightening herself up and walking out the door.

* * *

Tak landed her ship quietly in the grass and hopped out of the ship with a small box of useful gadgets and tools Dib would need to start a new life. Dib got out of the ship and looked around. It was midnight and the unfamiliar park was completely abandoned. It had a been a week since he woke up on the moon. A week of soft silence and unspoken goodbyes. He turned to Tak who stood behind him quietly.

"So… This is it." He spoke softly.

"Yes. I'm sorry, but. This is how it needs to be." Her antennae sunk low and she looked at the grass. Dib nodded. He knew. Any attempts to convince her otherwise had been in vain. He couldn't argue, not in their last moments, he had to keep it right. He walked up to Tak and leaned his forehead against hers, taking her hands in his. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"I'll never forget you." Dib said sadly. She shook her head.

"I care about you." She replied. Dib smiled, kissed her head, and wrapped his arms around Tak, she locked her arms around him and nuzzled her face into his neck. They held each other for a moment before she pulled away and turned to her ship. Dib stood there, unmoving, and watched her climb back into her ship. Tak fought not to look back at him, and typed commands into the control panel. As the ship began floating into the air, Tak looked back at Dib and put a hand on the windshield. Dib waved as she floated higher, the ships boosters activated and it took off into the sky. He watched the ship until it disappeared in the night and turned around to look back at the park. She had dropped him off three states over from Dib's old town, just to make sure nobody knew him. He was completely alone.


	12. Epilogue

**Redemption**

* * *

 **Epilogue**

"NO!" He roared throwing his tools into the already dented wall. "DAMN IT!" He turned to kick a chair sitting innocently behind him and collapsed on the ground running his fingers through his long scythe-like hair and rubbing his now blackened face. That was the twelfth time this year it blew up. And he was getting restless. He sat up, walked out of his garage, kicking random junk aside angrily as he left. He slammed the door behind him and head for his bathroom.

* * *

He had gotten the soot and dirt off his face and hands and was now rubbing the water out of his hair with a towel. He looked in the foggy mirror, the little tattoo on his heart caught his eye.

A triangle with a circle in the middle and two other little triangles on the top, like a bug's face.

He put a hand on the mirror and sighed. It has been almost eight years to the day that Tak left. But he never forgot her. Sometimes he would sit up at night whenever it rained, thinking about something he could have said to make her stay. He shook his head and left the bathroom and slumped down in his couch.

His living room was a mess. Old newspapers about the missing Membrane psycho a fews states over, NASA pamphlets and rejection letters for a 'Dib Vasquez', stacks of library books on mechanics, physics, and aero and astronautical engineering, empty pizza boxes, and random notes, plans, and homemade blueprints. He reached over and took a piece from one of the pizza boxes.

 _Thankfully better than Bloaty's._ He thought, eating the cold pizza. He never had time to cook anything because of his constant working, all he could do was order out; an unhealthy but necessary way of life. After his snack, he stretched and walked back to his garage with a sigh.

He worked silently for the rest of the day.

 _She might not even be alive._ He thought, welding metal plates together.

 _She might not even remember me._ He thought, fixing wires.

 _She might be on the other side of the universe._ He thought, tightening bolts.

He tightened the last bolt and stepped back reaching for his remote for the second time today. He pressed the button and jumped back, preparing for another explosion. Nothing happened. He growled and kicked the hunk of junk so hard he might have broken his toe. But like a miracle, it came to life. Dib stood before it in awe as it groaned and lifted into the air. He stepped back in shock as it bumped lazily onto the ceiling, connected by wires to generators and monitors. He pressed the button again, and the lights and fans died. It fell to the ground with a quick thump. Dib pressed the button again and it rose, hovering in place.

 _Wherever she is._ Dib thought smiling at his ship. _I'll find her._


End file.
